St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-12-10

however. that her ashland will never
sing it again rs long as he lives. IN
T. Times.
COLLECTING DEBTS.
An Experienced Collector who Fiads II
Pays to he DcaI
mo. we have not adopted the Chi
cago method Of collecting bills in New
York." said an experienced bill col
lector. land l don't know that the
police would tolerate them. If we had.
The wagon marked in flaming letters
bad Debts Collected" is still un-
known in our streets, and il any office
sends around letters with ..Bad Debt
stamped on their envelopes. have not
heard Of it. Debts are collected in
New York by dunning, il the debtor
won't pay within = decent time and
has property within reach. And dun
ming. ~ well as being the Oldest. Is.
after all. the most effectual method"
''But suppose the debtor is mot at
home to be dunncd?" ..-
'.Thcn wait quietly until he 10 at
h0me-if the debt is worth waiting for.
II can. l get the servant. as soon as 1
call. and before she has notified her
master. to let me in. which. rs l look
respectable. she can hardly refuse to
do. and I sit down. if not invited to q
seat. until she comes with an answer.
Then decide to wait till he comes in.
and am quite obtuse to any hints as to
the probabb latsness of his return. II
he is . man, or If she is = woman, who
wishes to keep up appearances with the
servants. that debt is soon settled.
but if the servant is in with the en-
ployer, then more persistent course
has to be adopted. and calls made 30
frequently As to attract the attention OF
folks living in the vicinity. take the
rebuff. which in such case am sure
to meet, very quietly and respectfully
and very leisurely. and in way to be
seen by anybody at the windows around.
l select the bill from handful of other
bills, look at it, fiddle over it. and
perhaps mark something on it, and
slowly and carefully return it to the
bunch. Then. as if unconscious that I
had attracted any attention. I descend
the steps to the street and walk of.
carrying the bunch Of bills in my hand.
This. repeated few days in any neigh
borhosd. respectable or otherwise. is
commonly enough to bring the debtor
to time. or compel him 10 move.
.'One trick have is to pretend to be
deaf. As matter Of fact my hearing
is ~ good as anybody's. but deafness
is A. excellent faculty in . collector.
especially when combined with hearing
acute enough to detect hint Of settle
ment. There's \ lawyer down town.
good enough pay. but rather slow. and
it is amusing to notice how he acts
when happen into his Office. He
starts up from his desk. and meets me
half way. and puts his mouth to my ear
to tell me when he will settle. or that
he can't settle just then. or something
Of that sort pretend not to UNDER
stand just what he has said. and in the
loud tone which deaf people ordinarily
use l ask him to repeat it, which he
does with grea: deal Of disgust. My
manner is of course SO respectful that
he has no occasion for Offense. ~
There are one or more collecting
agencies which menace debtors with
the publication of their names in a
sheet or circular for distribution
throughout the country among business
men; but my own opinion is that the
method is not very effective one. I
know of one instance in which debtor
was about to pay over money to a col
lectOr, and the collector unfortunately
remarked. as much in jest Is in earnest:
I'm glad you're paying this now. as l
was just about to send Your name to
-. mentioning concern Of the
kind to which have alluded. The
money had not yet passed from the
debtors Outstretchel hand. He was .
quick-tempered sort Of fellow. and the
remark stung him. He drew back the
money and pocketed it. with the re-
mark: q. indeed! 1 would just like
to see my name published in that
affair." The collector went away with
out his money. and. Is the debtor hap
pened to be an astute and experienced
lawyer. it was deemed prudent not to
herald his name in the manner. indi-
Gated. ...-..
There are many ways Of collecting
debt; but plain. simple dunning Is the
best. ~ r. SMn.
Won't Have Show.
1t was very late and Brown was steer
ing Robinson hOmeward.
What will you say to your wife?"
Brown asked. r..-.